Critic's Review

Yes, it's on a one way street and yes, it is a blink-and-you-can miss it place, complete with narrow entrance lane. Try parking your car in their compound and chances are a whole team of righteous people will descend on you and shoo your car away to the neighbouring compound, wherever that may be.

“You cannot park here,” they tell me gleefully. “This is a hospital.” They add, just to make sure I'm totally confused. My stomach growls as if on cue. “All our valet drivers are on leave.” They say, so if I'm uncomfortable, I may as well go home while my 'acting' chauffer for the day is still around.

Finally things get sorted out and I'm allowed to enter.

Bright and beautiful spaces with lots of greenery steal my heart. And when they are coupled with brilliant lighting it all adds up making me want to stay there forever. Starting with the beautiful Gujju jaali-jarokha work at the entrance right behind the god and goddess sculptures, I'm captivated. Then through the arched white brick entrance, I walk up the garden path into this beautiful wood and glass space with a huge smile, all parking problems forgotten. Because one wall holds a large hauntingly captivating image of a typically rural young Gujarati girl has me looking at it again and again as I sit on a wooden chair with a marble topped table, clicking pictures on my phone. Being Gujju has its advantages. I know my favourites and what to order but simply go with the flow, letting the enthusiastic manager tell me what their best dishes are. I begin with a typically sweet, salty and nutty kachumber (salad) of raw papaya and pomegranate. Just for fun, I even opt for a taste of the spinach and date salad, again indulging in my salty sweet tooth.

My eyes widen at the sight of the methi gota with green chutney and I polish off every morsel of the two placed on my plate. They are perfect orbs, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and come accompanied by glistening, salted green chillies. Before I could finish them, my palak muthia are laid out in front of me. I'm overwhelmed. But what the heck, they are steamed and I have a thing about muthias, besides, this is lunch, for God’s sake. So in they go, sesame seeds and all, dipped in the sweet and green chutney in turns. But, wait! There’s more. sona mohare. Deep fried kachoris stuffed with a mix of onions.

“Just half of one!” I warn my misbehaving taste buds, till another steamed treat - panki comes my way. An irresistible aroma of desi ghee floats up my nostrils. I’m more than ready to peel off those banana leaves. Thin and soft, the pankis, dipped in chutney, slide down my throat. Wish I hadn’t ordered the disappointing theplas with jamphal shak (guava curry). But, hey! There's dessert. I happily bite into sukhadi made with wheat flour and jaggery with generous amounts of ghee, delighted to be eating this childhood favourite again.

Plus & Minus:Beautiful space, affordable prices, delicious food, except when the chef is having a rough time getting the thepla dough right.

Must Try:Papaya and pomegranate kachumber, palak muthiya, panki and dukhadi.

Another great place for Veggies. If you know what Gujju food is about and if your taste buds can appreciate Gujju food, then this is the place. Real authentic Gujarati food right in Chennais bylane. I can telI that wit some assurance since I lived in Gujarat for over a decade. I say bylane because though the restaurant is on North Boag Road, you have to walk down an alley to get there. You can easily miss this place. Parking is a problem especially if you there for dinner but once these initial hiccups are over, you will relish the experienceTe decor is very nice and simple and the ambience is great. The seating arrangement itself gives some kind of privacy tough the seating is actually an Open seating.The food is delicious and the service is excellent. It is a very nice place and we had a very enjoyable experience.

If it wasnt for the famous veggis-fruit shop next door, we would have missed it. Car parking is not easy here, as the approach lane is very narrow. The decor is good. Food is served cold...portions are okay..service could improve. We could cheer-up the place if the waiters dressed in lighter colours, as the black suits look grubby.rates are very reasonable, the paper napkins, downgraded the tables, straight away. The Saturday menu was dissapointing. I was looking forward to the salad and desert, both failed the flavour and portion test. The methi-theppalas were good, albeit cold. Also, I was expecting to get this fast....but waited over 25 minutes for the same I wouldnt go back to this place in a hurry!!

Critic's Review

Yes, it's on a one way street and yes, it is a blink-and-you-can miss it place, complete with narrow entrance lane. Try parking your car in their compound and chances are a whole team of righteous people will descend on you and shoo your car away to the neighbouring compound, wherever that may be.

“You cannot park here,” they tell me gleefully. “This is a hospital.” They add, just to make sure I'm totally confused. My stomach growls as if on cue. “All our valet drivers are on leave.” They say, so if I'm uncomfortable, I may as well go home while my 'acting' chauffer for the day is still around.

Finally things get sorted out and I'm allowed to enter.

Bright and beautiful spaces with lots of greenery steal my heart. And when they are coupled with brilliant lighting it all adds up making me want to stay there forever. Starting with the beautiful Gujju jaali-jarokha work at the entrance right behind the god and goddess sculptures, I'm captivated. Then through the arched white brick entrance, I walk up the garden path into this beautiful wood and glass space with a huge smile, all parking problems forgotten. Because one wall holds a large hauntingly captivating image of a typically rural young Gujarati girl has me looking at it again and again as I sit on a wooden chair with a marble topped table, clicking pictures on my phone. Being Gujju has its advantages. I know my favourites and what to order but simply go with the flow, letting the enthusiastic manager tell me what their best dishes are. I begin with a typically sweet, salty and nutty kachumber (salad) of raw papaya and pomegranate. Just for fun, I even opt for a taste of the spinach and date salad, again indulging in my salty sweet tooth.

My eyes widen at the sight of the methi gota with green chutney and I polish off every morsel of the two placed on my plate. They are perfect orbs, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and come accompanied by glistening, salted green chillies. Before I could finish them, my palak muthia are laid out in front of me. I'm overwhelmed. But what the heck, they are steamed and I have a thing about muthias, besides, this is lunch, for God’s sake. So in they go, sesame seeds and all, dipped in the sweet and green chutney in turns. But, wait! There’s more. sona mohare. Deep fried kachoris stuffed with a mix of onions.

“Just half of one!” I warn my misbehaving taste buds, till another steamed treat - panki comes my way. An irresistible aroma of desi ghee floats up my nostrils. I’m more than ready to peel off those banana leaves. Thin and soft, the pankis, dipped in chutney, slide down my throat. Wish I hadn’t ordered the disappointing theplas with jamphal shak (guava curry). But, hey! There's dessert. I happily bite into sukhadi made with wheat flour and jaggery with generous amounts of ghee, delighted to be eating this childhood favourite again.

Plus & Minus:Beautiful space, affordable prices, delicious food, except when the chef is having a rough time getting the thepla dough right.

Must Try:Papaya and pomegranate kachumber, palak muthiya, panki and dukhadi.

Another great place for Veggies. If you know what Gujju food is about and if your taste buds can appreciate Gujju food, then this is the place. Real authentic Gujarati food right in Chennais bylane. I can telI that wit some assurance since I lived in Gujarat for over a decade. I say bylane because though the restaurant is on North Boag Road, you have to walk down an alley to get there. You can easily miss this place. Parking is a problem especially if you there for dinner but once these initial hiccups are over, you will relish the experienceTe decor is very nice and simple and the ambience is great. The seating arrangement itself gives some kind of privacy tough the seating is actually an Open seating.The food is delicious and the service is excellent. It is a very nice place and we had a very enjoyable experience.

If it wasnt for the famous veggis-fruit shop next door, we would have missed it. Car parking is not easy here, as the approach lane is very narrow. The decor is good. Food is served cold...portions are okay..service could improve. We could cheer-up the place if the waiters dressed in lighter colours, as the black suits look grubby.rates are very reasonable, the paper napkins, downgraded the tables, straight away. The Saturday menu was dissapointing. I was looking forward to the salad and desert, both failed the flavour and portion test. The methi-theppalas were good, albeit cold. Also, I was expecting to get this fast....but waited over 25 minutes for the same I wouldnt go back to this place in a hurry!!